How to network Win 2K with XP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clueless in Seattle
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Clueless in Seattle

I'm disabled by chronic health problems that make it difficult for me to sit
up for very long and require me to spend a lot of time lying in bed resting.

I recently received from a kind acquaintance an older laptop that's running
Windows XP Home.

I've been trying to connect it in a peer-to-peer network with my much older
desktop computer which is running Windows 2K Pro.

I'd like to use the laptop from bed to access the files on my desk machine.
I used to work this way with an older laptop running Win 2K, but the screen
backlight on that laptop failed months ago, so I can no longer work from that
machine. However I still have it connected in a peer-to-peer network with
the desktop machine and use its hard drive to back up files from the desktop.

So, I know that the desktop machine is capable of and is configured properly
for networking with another machine as long as both machines are running Win
2K.

I just can't figure out how to get it to network with the XP machine.
 
Hi
Make sure that the Software Firewall on each computer allows free local
traffic. If you use 3rd party Firewall On, Vista/XP Native Firewall should
be Off, and the active Firewall has to adjusted to your Network IP numbers
on what is some time called the Trusted Zone (consult your 3rd Party
Firewall instructions.
General example, http://www.ezlan.net/faq#trusted
Win 2000 File Sharing,
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/w2kshare.html
Windows XP File Sharing -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040
Printer Sharing
XP -http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/honeycutt_july2.mspx
Windows Native Firewall setting for Sharing
XP -http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357
When done hard reboot all network computers and the Router.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
 
Hi Jack,

Thanks for those suggestions.

I'm using the Free Ashampoo Firewall and have it configured like this on
both machines:

Local connections are not being monitored
LAN connections are not being monitored

On the Toshiba laptop I looked at the properties of the TCP/IP protocol and
it's set to:

Obtain an IP address automatically
Obtain DNS server address automatically

From what you wrote, I understand you to be saying that I have to come up
with Network IP numbers and then enter those into the Firewall. Have I
understood you correctly?

If so, could you explain to me where to look for the IP numbers?

As you can tell from the foregoing, this is all pretty much incomprehensible
to me, so I need someone patient enough to walk me through the process step
by step.

Right now I have the two machines connected with a crossover cable (the same
cable that works fine to connect the two machines, both running Win 2K.

But when I connect the Win 2K machine to this XP laptop, the network icon
says:

Local Area Connection
Speed: 100.0 Mbps
Status: Acquiring Network Address

Then:

Status: Limited or no connectivity

I have the same User logon on both machines, and the same Workgroup name.

But I don't use a password for the User I.D.s I just left that blank when I
created or renamed the User I.D.s. Could the lack of a password pose a
problem?

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"
 
Hi
In lack of comprehensive description concerning all the Network related
hardware and how they are connected there is Not too much that can be done
in order to help.
When you connect two computers with crossover cable there No DHCP server
that can assign Auto. IPs (In most cease it is a function of a Wireless
Cable/DSL Router used by many people).
The solution is to set the two computers with static IP.
As an example one computer should be 192.168.1.1 and the other 192.168.1.2
http://www.hotcomm.com/faq/FAQ_staticIPXP.asp
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
 
Thanks a million, Jack!

I entered those two IP addresses on my two machines, then followed the
prompts in a network wizard that popped up, gave Ashampoo permissions, and,
Bingo!

The computers are now networked. From each computer I can now see the files
on the C: drive of the other computer.

I really needed to get this working. I injured by back when I passed out
last month and I'm having much more difficulty than usual sitting up at the
desk computer.

I hope you'll stick with me for one more question. I have a bag of old
hand-me-down routers, switches and hubs that an online acquaintance gave me
when he was cleaning house a few months back. I'd like to now try to add my
old laptop with the dead screen to the network. I know I'll have to switch
to straight through cables. But should I use a router, a switch or a hub?
And should I give the third computer the address 192.168.1.3?

Or should I go back to automatic addresses?

Oh, yeah, one more thing: Does it matter if the XP system is computer
number 1 in the network? I gave the address number 1 to the 2K machine
because that was the one I was sitting at when I got your message.
 
Hi
You can give the 3rd computer
Clueless in Seattle said:
Thanks a million, Jack!

I entered those two IP addresses on my two machines, then followed the
prompts in a network wizard that popped up, gave Ashampoo permissions,
and,
Bingo!

The computers are now networked. From each computer I can now see the
files
on the C: drive of the other computer.

I really needed to get this working. I injured by back when I passed out
last month and I'm having much more difficulty than usual sitting up at
the
desk computer.

I hope you'll stick with me for one more question. I have a bag of old
hand-me-down routers, switches and hubs that an online acquaintance gave
me
when he was cleaning house a few months back. I'd like to now try to add
my
old laptop with the dead screen to the network. I know I'll have to
switch
to straight through cables. But should I use a router, a switch or a hub?
And should I give the third computer the address 192.168.1.3?

Or should I go back to automatic addresses?

Oh, yeah, one more thing: Does it matter if the XP system is computer
number 1 in the network? I gave the address number 1 to the 2K machine
because that was the one I was sitting at when I got your message.
Click to expand...
 
Hi
You can give the 3rd computer IP 192.168.1.3.
Then unplug the connection between the two computer and plug all the three
into a switch.
Router is needed if you have a broadband Internet connection, and you want
to share the Internet connection too.
In such a case the connection should look like this,
http://www.ezlan.net/network/router.jpg
However the configuration of the IPs when on a router need to take into
consideration the parameters of the Router too.
In most cases the Router's manual would explain How-to. If you do not have
the manual, you probably can find it on the Internet by searching for the
Router make and model in combination with the terms instructions manual.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
 
Thanks for all the help, Jack!

I now have my first home network of three computers, up and running!

I'm using a hub instead of the switch you recommended, since that was the
first item I pulled out of the bag. Since it works, I'm hesitant to monkey
with it, unless there's a compelling reason to change it.

Is there any reason why a switch would serve me better than the hub I'm now
using? I know that in that bag of routers, hubs and switches which I
inherited from an online acquaintance, there is at least one switch that
looks brand new, still in its original box,

Would you recommend that I substitute the switch for the hub?
 
Clueless said:
Thanks for all the help, Jack!

I now have my first home network of three computers, up and running!

I'm using a hub instead of the switch you recommended, since that was the
first item I pulled out of the bag. Since it works, I'm hesitant to monkey
with it, unless there's a compelling reason to change it.

Is there any reason why a switch would serve me better than the hub I'm now
using? I know that in that bag of routers, hubs and switches which I
inherited from an online acquaintance, there is at least one switch that
looks brand new, still in its original box,

Would you recommend that I substitute the switch for the hub?
Click to expand...

A switch is "smarter" than a hub and thus generally faster and less
prone to packet collisions: http://www.duxcw.com/faq/network/hubsw.htm

With only 3 computers, it probably doesn't matter which you use.
 
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